Foldable arm for chairs



2 Sheets-Sheet l 1-. D. OWLER FOLDABLE ARM FOR CHAIRS Filed May 1, 1940July 22, 1941.

Imf Thomas ,2 01/122 July 22,,194L- T. D. OWLER 2,249,849 FOLDABILE ARMFOR CHAIRS Filed May 1, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 V InJev-um m 1750mm fizz/Z1 Patented July 22, 1941 UNITED STATES OFFICE 12 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved foldable arm for chairs, moreparticularly a central arm adapted when in normal active position to belocated between a pair of adjacent chairs, or midway the length of adouble seat provided with fixed arms at the ends thereof.

While this new foldable arm is adapted for use with various forms ofseats or chairs, it is especially designed for double chairs such as areused on railway cars or buses. Such a chair comprises a supportingstructure including a platform, at each end of which is a fixed sidearm,and the platform carries between these side arms a long'cushioned seat,or a pair of single seats laid side by side. A back memben-or a pair ofsingle back members arranged side by side, are carried by the supportingstructure at the rear of the seat and between the side arms. Preferablythese backs are pivotally mounted adjacent their lower ends so that theymay be swung rear- Wardly and locked in selected position so as to varythe inclination of the back with respect to the vertical, as is wellknown in this art. The back is formed with a pocket in the lower frontportion to receive the folded central arm'when not in use. If, as ispreferred, a pair of. independently swinging backs are used, this pocketmay be formed half in each of the adjoining inner lower portions of thetwo back members, If the two back sections are not at the sameinclination, obviously the folded arm will rest partially in the pocketsection of the more erect portion of the back, and will projectlaterally therefrom. More usually, however, when the arm is folded intothe pocket,'i-t will be desirable to have both backs at the same angleas parts of a single back for the long seat. Under these circumstancesthe folded arm will rest entirely in the pocket.

The auxiliary or central arm comprises a fixed supporting bracketmounted on the supporting platform and projecting upwardly and rearwardly into the lower portion of the pocket formed in the back. If a pair ofindependent back members are used, each back member is pivotally mountedat its outer lower side in or adjacent to one of the fixed side arms andat the inner lower side is pivotally mounted on the fixed centralbracket member. A link member is pivotally mounted at its lower end onthe upper end portion of the fixed central bracket and, when theauxiliary arm is in extended active position, engaging surfaces on thelink and bracket will hold the link in a load-supporting positionprojecting upwardly and forwardly from the pocket, A

latch-member pivotally supported in the link has a hooked lower endengaging a notch in the bracket to normally hold the link in this activeposition, but when the latch is released, a spring functions to swingthe link about its lower pivoted end back into the pocket. An arm-restcomprising a supporting plate and a cushioned portion carried thereby,is pivotally supported by means of a pin and slot connection with theupper end of the link so as to project forwardly when in activeposition, substantially parallel with and at the same height as theupper armsupporting portions of the fixed side-arms of the chair orchairs. By bodily lifting the central arm-rest, as permitted by the pinand slot connection, with the link, the rest can swing downwardly aboutthe pin, and as it approaches a position substantially parallel with thelink, the latch will be engaged by the rest and unlock, so as to permitthe spring already described to swing the assembled rest and link backinto the pocket until the cushioned surfaceof the rest substantiallyaligns with the front surface of the back. If the inclination of theback is changed, the spring will cause the arm-rest to swing with theback so that the relative alignment of the cushioned surfaces of the armand back remain substantially unchanged.

The central arm can at any time be moved back to its original activeposition by simply lifting the arm-rest from the pocket and, pulling itupwardly and forwardly until the link is again latched in its upwardlyand forwardly extended position, after which a downward pressure on thearm-rest will cause relative movement at the pin and slot connection tobring flat surfaces on the link and rest into engagement to support therest in its normal forwardly projecting position.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an improved chaircomprising a foldable central arm, as briefly described hereinabove anddisclosed more in detail in the specifications which follow.

Another object is to provide an improved foldable central arm for-adouble-chair.

Anotherobject is to provide an improved pin and slot supportingconnection between one end of an arm-rest and an upwardly projectingsupporting member.

Another object is to provide improved means for housing a folded armmember within a chairback so that the arm and back will swing as a unitwith the outer cushioned portion of the arm Fig. 2 is a central verticalsection through the 1 22 of chair taken substantially on the lineFig. 1. I

Fig. 3 is a partial elevation ofthe central portion of the chair,similar to Fig.1, but showing the arm in folded position within thepocket of the back.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the central arm (as shown inFig. 2) butwith a portion of the link in section, and showing the arm-rest indotted lines lifted to its unlocked position. 7

Fig.- 5 is abottom plan view of' the arm-rest.

Figs. Sand 7 are respectively frontpand side elevations of theintermediate link.

Figs. 8 and 9 are side and front elevations respectively of the upperend of the fixed supporting bracket. 7 g

" Fig. 10 is a central vertical section, on a larger scale, of thefoldedauxiliary arm in position within'the pocket of the back, this view alsoshowing in dotted lines the folded assembly after the latch has'beenreleased but before the assembly has been swung back into the pocket. Inthe form hereshown, the chair comprises a supporting platform I mountedon a pedestal consisting of end leg members 2 and 3 andlongitudinallyextending beams 4. At the two ends of the chair theplatform supports fixed sidearms 5 carrying arm-rests 6 at the top ofthe arms. Carried on top of platform I and between the side arms 51s acushioned seat, or more usually 'a'pair of similarcushioned seats Iarranged side by side.

The back of the chair will usually comprise apair of similar chair'backs8 positioned side by side, each back section consisting of a supportingframe 9 on which ismounted a front cushioned portion l0. As far as theimproved foldable central arm forming the particular subject matter of'this inventionis concerned, a single continuous back 8 could be used,and this back might be mounted at a fixed inclination at the rear of theseat I and between the side arms 5. However, the back will preferably bepivotally mounted nearits lower end so that it may be swung. rearwardly'and locked in different selected inclinations,-as is. well known in theart. In this case, the back will preferably be formed of two separatesections 8'so that the two seats. can be adjusted-independently. 'Inanycase, a pocket H will. be formed in the front cushioned portioniofthe back near its lower end, this pocket receiving the folded centralarm now about to be described. When two separate back sections 8 areused, this pocket I l willpreferablybeformed half in each of thesesections, as shown in Figs. land 2.

A fixed supporting bracket 12 comprises a base 'or bottom plate l3suitably mounted on platform I adjacent its rear edge, and the ,upwardlyprojecting portion I4 extending into the lower end of .pocket' H. Thelower inner end portions of the backs are preferably pivoted on shaftsorstuds l5' proje'ctin'g laterally from opposite sides of the post orbracket 14, the oppon site sides of the backs 8 being similarly pivotedin or adjacent to the side arms 5. Suitable means is provided forlocking the back or backs in different selected positions, such meansnot being here shoWn in detail, but often comprising accessible controlsextending through the side arms 5.

The central folded arm which is the particular subject matter of thisinvention comprises an upholstered arm-rest, indicated generally at [5,

"which, when in normal active position, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4,extends forwardly midway between the side arms and in front of the backat substantially the same height and inclination as the cushioned topportions 6 of the side arms 5. When this arm is folded back into thepocket H, asshown in Figs. 3 and 10, the upper upholstered surface ofthis arm rest will be in substantial aligmnent with the front cushionedsurface I I) of the back 8.

The arm-rest 16 comprises an upper cushion portion mounted on a flatbase plate I! (see Fig. 10) which in turn is secured by bolts orfasteners 18 to the metallic supporting plate I9 formed adjacent one endwith a downwardly projecting lug 20 (see also Fig. 5) which issubstantially Vertically slotted at 2| to receive a pivot pin 22. Theouter end portion of lug 20 is formed with a flat bearing face 23substantially parallel with slot 2!, while the lower end of the lug isrounded at 24 substantially concentric with pin 22 when this pin is inthe lower end of slot 2|.

The link indicated generally at 25 (Figs. 6 and '7) is pivotallyconnected at its lower end with the upper end of fixed bracket l2, andis pivotally connected at its upper end with the rear end portion ofarm-rest H5. The lower end of this link is apertured at 26 (Fig. '7) toreceive the pivot-pin 26 mounted in the forked upper end portion ofbracket i2 (see Figs. 8 and 9). A latch member 21 having a hooked lowerend 28 is centrally pivoted at 29 between the side flanges 30 of link25. The upper end portion 3l of this latch member projects forwardlyfrom between the side flanges 39 near the upper end of the link. A flatbearing face 32 formed at the lower end of link 25 is adapted to bearagainst a similar flat bearing surface 33 formed at the bottom of theupper forked end of the post or bracket M when the link 25 is swung toits normal upwardly and forwardly projecting position, as shown in Figs.2 and 4. At this time the hooked lower end portion 28 of latch 21 willengage in the locking notch or recess 34 formed in the forward portionof post M. A spring indicated generally at 35 has a central crossportion35 bearing against link 25 above the pivot 25', while the similar sidearm portions of the spring extend downwardly and are coiled around theoppositely projecting shaft sections 15 with the lower end portions 31of these side arms extending down and bearing against the laterallyprojecting side flanges 38 of the post portion M of bracket !2. Thisspring is so tensioned as to tend to swing the link 25 in a clockwisedirection (Fig. 2) back into the pocket H of the back members. However,the link 25 will normally be held in the upwardly and forwardlyprojecting position shown in Figs. 2 and 4, against the tension ofspring 35, as long as latch 2 is engaged with the locking notch;34 inthe supporting bracket l2. p

' The pivot pin 22, which extends through slot 2! of the lug2ll of thearm-rest I6, is mounted between the .sides of the forked upper endportion 39 of link 25. When the arm-rest I is in its normal activeposition, as shown in Figs; 1, 2 and 4, the rest will be pushed downuntil this pin 22 is at'the upper 'end of slot 2|, at which time thefiat bearing surface 23 at the rear end of lug 20 will engage asimilarfiat bearing surface 40 formed at the bottom of the forked upperend portion 39 of link 25 so that the arm-rest will be supported by thelink in this normal forwardly projecting position. At this time thelower end portion 24 of lug 29 will engage the upper end 3| of latch 21so as to prevent this end of the latch member being pushed in todisengage the hook 28 from notch 34. Consequently the entire auxiliaryarm comprising the lower supporting bracket l2, intermediate link 25 andarm-rest [6 will be securely locked when in the relative positions shownin solid lines in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, as will be the case when the arm isin use.

It is desirable at times to effectively remove thiscentral arm to aninoperative concealed position, as when it is desired to use the twoadjacent chairs as a single wide seat or chair. In order to accomplishthis, the arm rest l6is first lifted to'the position shown in dottedlines in Fig. 4, that is, until'the pivot pin 22 engages the lower endof slot 2!. The rounded lower end surface 24 of lugZll will now permitthe arm-rest IE to swing about the pin 22 until it reaches substantiallythe downwardly hanging position shown in dotted lines in Fig. Beforethis position is reached, the lower-portion of the arm-rest will engagethe upper end 3| of latch 21 and push this in so as to swing the lowerhooked end 28'of the latch out of engagement with the latching In theform of chair here shown, a foot-rest M for the use of the occupant oroccupants of the chairs directly behind the ones here shown, is carriedby side members 42 projecting downwardly and rearwardly from platform"I.

'It will be understood that the improved-form of folding am here showncould be used in various other types of chairs or seats, for example inthe rear seat. of an automobile.

, I claim:

1. A folding chair-arm comprisingan upwardly projecting bracket fixedlymounted on a. fixed support, a link-pivotally connected at its lower endwith the upper end portion-of the bracket so that the link may swingrearwardly, there being supporting surfaces on the link and bracketrespectively which engage to support the link in its active upwardly andforwardly projecting position, a latch to hold the link in this activeposition, an arm rest .pivotally connected at its rear end with theupper portion of the link, releasable means for normally holding therest in its active position projecting laterally from the upper end ofthe link, the rest when released swinging downwardlysubstantiallyparallel to the link and releasing the latch and a spring functioningwhen the latch is released to swing the folded rest and link back to anineffective position.

2. -A folding chair-arm comprising an upwardly projecting bracketfixedly mounted on a fixed support, a link pivotally connected at itslower end with the upper end portion of the bracket so notch 3A. As soonas this latch is released, the 7 spring 35 acts to swing the foldedassembly of the rest l6 and link 25 back into the pocket H, as shown insolid lines in Fig. 10. At this time, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 10,the cushioned outer surface of rest it will be positioned substantiallyin alignment with the forward cushioned surface H] of the back 8. Also,as the inclination of the back is changed, the spring 35 will hold thefolded arm in pocket It so that it will swing with the back and thecushioned surfaces of the back and arm will remain in substantialalignment.

Whenever it is desired to return the auxiliary arm to its normaleffective position, it is merely necessary to pull the arm-rest l6 outof pocket H and lift it forwardly and upwardly. The link 25 will swingto its normal upwardly and forwardly projecting position and latch 21will automatically engage with notch 34, The forwardly projecting rest[6 will now be pushed downwardly from the dotted line position shown inFig. l to the solid line position, thus bringing the bearing surfaces 23and into engagement to prevent the arm-rest from again swingingdownwardly, and also looking the latch '21 in its effective position.

It will now beapparent that this central arm, when folded as abovedescribed, will be housed entirely in the lower portion of the back soas to be quite inconspicuous and not interfere with the comfort of theoccupant or occupants of the chair or seat. The two self-operatinglocking devices serve to hold the three sections of the auxiliary arm intheir normal effective positions, and the spring 35 serves to hold thefolded arm in its concealed position. The only manual manipulations thatare necessary are to move the; arm-rest 16 from one position to theother in the manner hereinabove described.

that the link may swing rearwardly, there being supporting surfaces onthe link and bracket respectively which engage to support the link inits active upwardly and forwardly projecting position, a latching leverintermediately pivoted in the link and having a hooked lower endengageable with a recess in the bracket to hold the link in its activeupwardly and forwardly projecting position, an arm-rest plvotallyconnected at its rear end with the upper end portion of the link,releasable means for holding the rest in its active position projectinglaterally from the upper end of the link, the rest when releasedswinging downwardly substantially parallel to the link and engaging theupper end portion of the latching lever to release the latch, and aspring active when the latch is released to swing the folded rest andlink back to a concealed position.

3. A folding chair-arm comprising an upwardly projecting bracket fixedlymounted on a fixed support, a l ink'pivot'ally connected at-its lowerend with the upper end portion of the bracket so that the link may swingrearwardly, there being supporting surfaces on the link and bracketrespectively which engage to support the link in its active upwardly andforwardly projecting position, a latch to hold the link in this activeposition, an arm-rest having a pin and slot connection at its rear endwith the upper end portion of the link, there being fiat cooperatingsurfaces on the rest and link which engage, when the rest is lowereduntil the pin engages one end of the slot, to hold the rest in itsactive laterally projecting position, the rest being bodily movableupwardly to slide the pin to the other end of the slot whereupon theflat surfaces no longer cooperate and the rest will swing downwardlyabout the pin as an axis to a position substantially parallel to thelink to release the latch, and a spring functioning, when the latch isreleased, to swing the folded rest and link backwardlyto an ineffectiveposition.

4. A folding chair-arm comprising an upwardly projecting bracket fixedlymounted on a fixedsupport, a link pivotally connected at its lowerendwith the upper end portion of the bracket so that the 'link'may swingrearwardly, there being supporting surfaces on the link and bracketrespectively which'engage to support the link in its active upwardly andforwardly projecting position, a latching lever intermediately pivotedin the link and having a hooked lower end engageable with a recess inthe bracket to hold the link in its active upwardly and forwardlyprojecting position, an arm-rest having a pin and slot connection at itsrear end with the upper end portion of the link, there being fiatcooperating surfaces on the rest and link which engage, when therest islowered until the pin engages one end of the slot, to hold the rest inits active laterally projecting position, the rest being bodilymovable'upwardly to slide the pin to the other end of the slot whereuponthe flat surfaces nolonger cooperate and the rest will swing downwardlyabout the pin as an axis to a position substantially parallel to thelink to engage the upper end of the latching lever and release'the latchand a spring functioning when the latching lever is released to swingthe folded rest and link. back to an ineffective position.

5. In a chair comprising a seat, side-arms and a back formed with anarm-receiving pocket in its lower central portion,'a foldable centralarm comprising a. fixed bracketpositioned midway the length of the seatand projecting upwardly into the lower portion of: the pocket, a centralfolding arm comprising a link pivotally connected at its lowerend withthe upper end portion of the bracket so that the link may swingrearwardly, there being supporting surfaces on the link and bracketrespectively which engage to support the link in its active upwardly andforwardly projecting position, a latch to hold the link inthis activeposition, an arm-rest pivotally connected at its rear end with the upperend portion of the link, releasable means for normally holding the restinrits active-position projecting laterally-from the upper end of thelink, the rest when released @swinging downwardly substantially parallel'to the link and-releasing the latch, and a spring active when the latchis released to swing the folded rest and link back into the pocket. i

6. In a chair comprising a seat, side-arms and a ba'ckforrned with anarm-receiving pocket in its lower central portion, a foldable centralarm comprising'a fixed bracket positioned midway the'length of the seatand projecting upwardly into the lowerportion of the pocket, a centralfolding arm comprising a link pivotally connected at its lower end'withthe upper end portion of the bracketpso that the link may swingrearwardly, there being supporting surfaces on the link and bracketrespectively which engage to support the link in its active upwardly andforwardly projecting position, a-latching .lever intermediately pivotedin the link and having a hooked lower end engageable with a recess inthe bracket to hold the link in its active upwardly and forwardlyprojecting position, an arm-rest pivotally connected at its rear endwith the upper end portion of the link, releasable means-for holding therest in its active position projecting laterally from the upperend ofthe link, the rest when released swinging downwardly substantiallyparallel to .the link and engaging the upper end of the latchingfleverto release the latch, and a spring active when the latch is released toswing the folded rest and link backwardly into the pocket.

'7. In a chair comprising a seat, side-arms and a back formed with anarm-receiving pocket in its lower central portion, a foldable centralarm comprising a fixed bracket positioned midway the length of the seatand projecting upwardly into the lower portion of the pocket, a centralfolding arm comprising a link pivotally connected at its lower end withthe upper end portion of the bracket so that the link may swingrearwardly, there being supporting surfaces on the link and bracketrespectively which engage to support the link in its active upwardly andforwardly projecting position, a latch to hold the link inthis activeposition, an arm-rest having a pin and slot connection at its rear endwith the upper end portion of the link, there being flat cooperatingsurfaces on the rest and link which engage, when the rest is lowereduntil the pin engages one end of the slot, to hold the rest in itsactive laterally projecting position, and the rest being bodily movableupwardly to slide the pin to the other end of the slot whereupon theflat surfaces no longer cooperate and the rest will swing downwardlyabout the pin as an axis to a position substantially parallel to thelink to release the latch, and a spring active to swing the folded restand link backwardly into the pocket.

8. In a chair comprising a seat, side-arms and a back formed with anarm-receiving pocket in its lower central portion, a foldable centralarm comprising a fixed bracket positioned midway the length of the seatand projecting upwardly into the lower portion of the pocket, a centralfolding arm comprising a link pivotally connected at its lower end withthe upper end portion of the bracket so that the link may swingrearwardly, there being supporting surfaces on the link and bracketrespectively which engage to support the link in its active upwardly andforwardly projecting position, a latching lever intermediately pivotedin the link and having a hooked lower end engageable with a recess inthe bracket to hold the link in its active upwardly and forwardlyprojecting position, an arm-rest having a pin and slot connection at itsrear end with the upper end portion of the link, there being flatcooperating surfaces on the rest and link which engage, when the rest islowered until the pin engages one end of the slot, to hold the rest inits active laterally projecting position, and the rest being bodilymovable upwardly to slide the pin to the other end of the slot whereuponthe flat surfaces no longer cooperate and the rest will swing downwardlyabout the pin as an axis to a position substantially parallel to thelink to engage the upper end of the latching lever and release thelatch, and a spring active to swing the folded rest and link backwardlyinto the pocket.

portion of the pocket, a central folding arm comprising a link pivotallyconnected at its lower end withthe upper end portion of the bracket sothat the link may swing rearwardly,there being supporting surfaces onthe link and bracket respectively which engage to support the link inits active upwardly and forwardly projecting position, a latch to holdthe link in this active position, an arm-rest pivotally connected at itsrear end with the upper end portion of the link, releasable means fornormally holding the rest in its active position projecting laterallyfrom the ally supported adjacent its lower end between the side arms sothat its inclination can be varied as desired, a foldable central armcomprising a fixed bracket positioned midway the length of the seat andprojecting upwardly into the lower portion of the pocket, a centralfolding arm comprising a link pivotally connected at its lower end withthe upper end portion of the bracket so that the link may swingrearwardly, there being supporting surfaces on the link and bracketrespectively which engage to support 5 the link in its active upwardlyand forwardly projecting position, a latching lever intermediatelypivoted in the link and having a hooked lower end engageable with arecess in the bracket to hold the link in its active upwardly and for-Wardly projecting position, an arm-rest having a pin and slot connectionat its rear end with the upper end portion of the link, there being fiatcooperating surfaces on the rest and link which engage, when the rest islowered until the pin engages one end of the slot, to hold the rest inits active laterally projecting position, and the rest being bodilymovable upwardly to slide the pin to the other end of the slot whereuponthe flat surfaces no longer cooperate and the rest will swing downwardlyabout the pin as an axis to a position substantially parallel to thelink to engage the upper end of the latching lever and release thelatch, and a spring active to swing the folded rest and link backwardlyinto the pocket, and holding the folded arm within the pocket andagainst the rear wall thereof so that it will swing with the back to anyselected position.

11. In a chair comprising a seat and side-arms, a back comprising a pairof similar sections positioned side by side, said back being formed withan arm-receiving pocket in its lower central portion, said pocket beingformed partially in each of the back sections, a fixed bracketpositioned midway the length of the seat and propocket, each section ofthe back being pivoted adjacent its lower end between one side-arm andthe upper portion of the bracket so that the inclination of the backsections can be independently adjusted, a central folding arm comprisinga link pivotally connected at its lower end with the upper end portionof the bracket so that the link may swing rearwardly, there beingsupporting surfaces on the link and bracket respectively which engage tosupport the link in its active upwardly and forwardly projectingposition, a latch to hold the link in this active position, an arm-restpivotally connected at its rear end with the upper end portion of thelink, releasable means for normally holding the rest in its activeposition projecting laterally from the upper end of the link, the restwhen released swinging downwardly substantially parallel to the link andreleasing the latch, and a spring active when the latch is released toswing the folded rest and link back into the pocket.

12. In a chair comprising a seat and side-arms, a back comprising a pairof similar sections positioned side by side, said back being formed withan arm-receiving pocket in its lower central portion, said pocket beingformed partially in each of the back sections, a fixed bracketpositioned midway the length of the seat and projecting upwardly intothe lower portion of the pocket, each section of the back being pivotedadjacent its lower end between one side-arm and the upper portion of thebracket so that the inclination of the back sections can beindependently adjusted, a central folding arm comprising a linkpivotally connected at its lower end with the upper end portion of thebracket so that the link may swing rearwardly, there being supportingsurfaces on the link and bracket respectively which engage to supportthe link in its active upwardly and forwardly projecting position, alatching lever intermediately pivoted in the link and having a hookedlower end engageable with a recess in the bracket to hold the link inits active upwardly and forwardly projecting position, an arm-resthaving a pin and slot connection at its rear end with the upper endportion of the link, there being fiat cooperating surfaces on the restand link which engage, when the rest is lowered until the pin engagesone end of the slot, to hold the rest in its active laterally projectingposition, and the rest being bodily movable upwardly to slide the pin tothe other end of the slot whereupon the flat surfaces no longercooperate and the rest will swing downwardly about the pin as an axis toa position substantially parallel to the link to engage the upper end ofthe latching lever and release the latch, and a spring active to swingthe folded rest and link backwardly into the pocket. 7

THOMAS D. OWLER.

